1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the orienting and storing of parts, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for orienting and/or stacking parts.
2. Background Art
The manufacturing process for many small parts includes creating the parts on a web that holds many identical parts. This allows for a streamlined process in manufacturing and handling the parts in the early stages of manufacturing, thereby reducing the overall cost of manufacturing. Inn the early stages, parts can be made of a flexible material. This allows for the web to be made in a roll format, easing storage and handling of the web. After the parts are manufactured, each part must be detached from the web.
One method of detaching parts involves the use of a punch and die combination. The web of parts is aligned between the punch and die so that a single, complete part can be detached. The web material is held under tension to allow for a precise detachment of the part. The punch is then moved to strike the part and separate it from the web. Air flow may be used to assist the punch and die in separating the part from the web. If the web was previously rolled, parts made of flexible material may revert to a curled shape after being detached.
After detaching the part from the web, the part must be moved away from the punch and die combination to allow the detaching process to continue for other parts. Commonly, a detached part passes through an opening in the die. The air flow described above may further assist in moving the part through the die.
Various methods are used to further remove the newly detached parts. One method allows a detached part to fall onto a conveyor belt that carries the part away. Another method uses a chute to carry the part away from the die. Using either method, an individual often removes each part to prepare it for the next phase of manufacturing. For example, an individual may place each part in a container for shipping or storage.
Alternatively, the detached parts may be collected automatically in a container. One method provides a container placed beneath the die to collect parts after they are detached. However, when the parts are lightweight and flexible, they are subject to random changes in orientation as they fall. Additionally, depending on how a part contacts the container or previous parts, the part may not fall in a proper direction or may not come to rest in a stable position. Consequently, the parts frequently fall into the container in a disordered manner.
The disordered assortment of parts in the container creates a need for further handling of the parts in the container before they can be safely shipped or stored in the container. Additionally, the random assortment causes the parts to encompass extra space, necessitating more frequent halts to the detaching process.
As a result, there exists a need to control the orientation of a part after it has been detached from a web of parts. Additionally, there exists a need to automatically stack a plurality of parts so that they do not require further processing before shipping and/or storage.